Update on DD's tongue

sunnybrook. · August 2011

We had the appointment today with the Pedi ENT. He doesn't know what the growth on her tongue is either. It has been shrinking and growing since yesterday. The ENT thinks she may have bit it and now there is a localized thrush infecton. We're gong to try Nystatin and Diflucan for a few days to see if that helps resolve it. If it doesn't clear up on these meds, then the ENT will do a biopsy and send up to a pathologist at a university hospital.

One of my big fears is that it is precancer or cancer (Leukoplakia). The ENT said it's rare in children, but he has seen it. Generally though, serious conditions like these grow slowly over a matter of months. Hers was a rapid, overnight onset, which is good. She also has no symptoms of an autoimmune disorder or bacterial infection. Right now we'll treat it as a trauma and yeast infection and see what happens over the next few days. I'm a little skeptical because both my husband and the pedi quickly ruled out thrush, but maybe because it's localized and a trauma, it presents differently. I don't know.

Thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts. It meant a lot to have your support. I'll keep you updated about whether the medicine is working.

Haven1 · August 2011

Fingers crossed that it's something easy like thrush.

mrs.cam · August 2011

I hope the dr is right, how scary, hang in there!

jalaiaa · August 2011

Thanks for the update. Hoping for the best. Was wondering what kind of doc your husband is? I remember you saying he was in residency a while ago. Has he finished yet?

MrsMcC.10409 · August 2011

I'm a total lurker, but I wanted to offer a hopeful outlook.

about 18months ago, I had a bubble grow on the underside of my tounge. It would swell and recede, swell and recede. Sometimes, it looked clear, sometimes the skin on the bubble was thick and white. I really thought the worst. White sores in mouth = cancer, right? Long story short, I was absolutely fine. Cancers don't grow and shrink like that, especially not at such a rapid/clearly noticable rate. I believe my issue was allergy related, even though I tested negative to all autoimmune disease and allergies. I eliminated potato from my diet for a year, but now I can eat them.

Take heart and believe that your little girl will be fine. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience. Doctors didn't know what to make of me, either.

AlishaMay · August 2011

Keeping my fingers crossed for you, and sending up some prayers too

Rangergal9 · August 2011

Continuing to send T&Ps that its just thrush!

amanda31H · August 2011

Thanks for the update! Praying it's easily fixable.

What's a Pedi ENT?

CER+MEL · August 2011

I've been thinking about you and your DD all day. Thanks for the update, and I'm praying it's thrush!

sunnybrook. · August 2011

jalaiaa:
Thanks for the update. Hoping for the best. Was wondering what kind of doc your husband is? I remember you saying he was in residency a while ago. Has he finished yet?

He finished residency last July in Emergency Medicine. Are you or your DH in medicine? His schedule is so much nicer now! He still works a lot, but it's nothing compared to residency.

sunnybrook. · August 2011

amanda31H:
Thanks for the update! Praying it's easily fixable.

What's a Pedi ENT?

Pedi ENT is a Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat doctor

sunnybrook. · August 2011

MrsMcC.10409:
I'm a total lurker, but I wanted to offer a hopeful outlook.

about 18months ago, I had a bubble grow on the underside of my tounge. It would swell and recede, swell and recede. Sometimes, it looked clear, sometimes the skin on the bubble was thick and white. I really thought the worst. White sores in mouth = cancer, right? Long story short, I was absolutely fine. Cancers don't grow and shrink like that, especially not at such a rapid/clearly noticable rate. I believe my issue was allergy related, even though I tested negative to all autoimmune disease and allergies. I eliminated potato from my diet for a year, but now I can eat them.

Take heart and believe that your little girl will be fine. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience. Doctors didn't know what to make of me, either.

Thank you for coming out of lurkdom to share your story. Did it hurt when you would eat? My DD has started crying now while eating. Since it's on the tip of her tongue, I think it hurts for her to manipulate food around. Tonight she could only eat apple sauce without crying

How did you know to eliminate potatoes? She has eczema and is having a flare-up which coincided with this tongue issue. I can't help but wonder if she has an allergy that weakened her immune system just enough to cause this.

Did you see any specialists for it? Did they do a scraping? was it painful?

I'm trying to figure it out and know what may be ahead of us. Thanks for your help!

groovygrl · August 2011

I have no idea what that would be but also wanted to chime in that cancerous lesions do not grow & shrink like that & also generally are not painful. Hope it turns out to be easy & heals itself soon!!!

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

i really hope the meds the ENT prescribed take care of the sore! keeping and your sweet girl in my thoughts.

jalaiaa · August 2011

sunnybrook.:
jalaiaa:
Thanks for the update. Hoping for the best. Was wondering what kind of doc your husband is? I remember you saying he was in residency a while ago. Has he finished yet?
He finished residency last July in Emergency Medicine. Are you or your DH in medicine? His schedule is so much nicer now! He still works a lot, but it's nothing compared to residency.

I'm an ER doc myself. I have to agree my schedule is a lot nicer since I'm out of residency. I work about 100 hours a month. But it is still hectic switching from nights to days and kids adds a whole new dimension of sleeplessness. Overall it is great though.